Any Good Techniques Here?

[Alen Koebel]

I found these on YouTube under the name "Aleksey Shadrin Project." Since I'm just learning I wanted to find out from the experts here if there are any useable techniques demonstrated in these clips:

Свадьба Анны и Александра Андроновых (demo) - YouTube
Свадьба Князьковых (demo) - YouTube
Свадьба Кригер (demo) - YouTube

[Warren Kawamoto]

I didn't watch the entire video, but judging from what I saw, it clearly shows a lot of what you shouldn't do:
1. Zoom in and out
2. Shoot 1 subject 5 times from different angles, and include all of them.
3. pan left, then right in the same shot
4. Shoot handheld so the camera shakes a lot
5. tilt up, then tilt down in the same shot
6. shoot everything on auto iris

That's about as far as I got before turning it off....

[Chip Thome]

Alen I concur with Warren, the little I saw needed a ton of stabilization in the cam movement. Just using a tripod with a fluid head would have helped a ton. It was difficult to watch because of all the movement which is the worst possible thing to hand someone. For an example and explanation of how to do movement right, check out Gary's review:

Psynema: Mind Over Media Blog Archive VLOG#2: Motion Slider 24 Review

If you watch Gary's use of his slider and then go back and watch the first minute of the first clip, you will see the distinct differences we are talking about.

[Alen Koebel]

The slider "footage" is nice and smooth. And level! What do you think about crazy-large tilts of the horizon (e.g., starting at 1m50s in the first video)? Aside from a hypothetical wedding of members of the Timothy Leary society, is there really any legitimate use for this?

[John Knight]

I think the OP was joking you guys!

But this... is probably the BEST wedding video I have EVER seen... study in awe!

Best wedding video in the history of weddings (Lovestory) - YouTube

[Alen Koebel]

I am in awe. Or something.

Regarding whether I was joking, I will admit my tongue was firmly planted in cheek, but it's not for me to say that the videos I linked are truly bad. And despite all evidence to the contrary, there might be something redeeming about them. I truly am interested to know if there are ANY techniques in there that could possibly be of use in wedding videos (by which I mean some other wedding videos, since it's obvious this guy does all of his the same way). I apologize in advance for the time it will take to view them in order to render an opinion. Those minutes will be lost forever.

[John Knight]

My answer is NO. They are the worst videos I have ever seen and every shot made me physically ill to know that someone might have paid money for the garbage that this guy has spewed forth onto YouTube. He should be hunted down and sent to Sibera for crimes againest videography.

[Chris Harding]

Hi John

Yep that certainly is classy!! Actually I did a Indian reception only last year and during the meal they screened the ceremony footage shot in India and although it had no magic balls flying thru the air, it certainly had more fancy titles than footage, floating hearts and sparkles throughout. It seems that brides love the sort of stuff ... I also have seen a middle Eastern wedding that had tons of effects including cheesy graphics of cupids kissing while they cut their cake....I guess if that's what the client wants then that's what you have to provide.....All one really needs is a copy of Pro-Dad Adorage...it has all that and more!!

Chris

[Kren Barnes]

Originally Posted by Alen Koebel

I am in awe. Or something.

I truly am interested to know if there are ANY techniques in there that could possibly be of use in wedding videos

Hi Alen,

None whatsoever , they are really bad..my 7 year old nephew can give these guys a run for their money.. in trying not to sound too harsh, these are the type of videos that give wedding videographers a bad name.. you seemed really enamored with these awful videos which i cannot understand why...is this your video or a close friend's? There is a sample video gallery in this forum that can help you immensely if you are serious in pursuing wedding videography..I guess the one good thing you can take away from these videos is to not replicate them..good luck!

Cheers eh!

[Edgar Vasiluk]

What a joke! Can't say anything...this video shouldn't be online for public view.

[Alen Koebel]

Originally Posted by Kren Barnes

.. you seemed really enamored with these awful videos which i cannot understand why...is this your video or a close friend's?

Interesting speculation, but entirely off the mark. I simply discovered these on YouTube. The reason I asked about them is that I could scarcely believe they are the commercial products they seem to be. They looked very bad to me but since I have no practical experience with wedding video so far (working on it) I could not fairly stand in judgement. For all I know there could be a market for that kind of thing, what with the short attention span and "jadedness" of younger viewers. I'm relieved to hear that the sane techniques of taking motion pictures that I learned in school (not film school, just film classes) are still valued.

PS. I am "enamored" in the same way people who pass an accident on the highway are. You know you shouldn't look, but you do it anyway.